Internal-combustion engine.



R. J. BALZ.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1914.

1,154,958. Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I. g L

M3 M4 m2 m5 R. .I. BALZ.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9. I914.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

N w N H m I T ..T A

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO4, WASHINGTON, D. c.

R. I. BALZ.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, IBM.

r0 K 9 O I E 1 3 T 1 N T N R 00 u E 0 2 H I t. 4 g 7 MW W I W P n 0 1 Ad s MW 4 n G l a P m m w W COLUMBIA PuuonRM-h 60-.WAsHINGToN. D. c,

R. J. BALZ.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLlCATION FILED AFB. 9, I914.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Ill/ll WITNESSES.-

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., wAsmNGTo-N. n. c.

ROBERT J. BALZ, or SYRACUSE, new YORK, assienon or ONE-HALF r0 GERTRUDEo.

MEYER, or svnnousn, new "roan.

inrnnnnn-oolanusrronENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. as, rare.

Application filed April 9, 1914. SerialN 0. 830,810.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Bonner J. Benz, of

Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, inv

the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inInternal-Coinbustion Engines, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in internal combustionengines and refers more particularly to the four-cycle stationary typeinvolving the use ofa reciprocatory piston and a crankshaft connectedthereto by a pitman and provided with symmetrically disposed balancewheels.

for steadying the action of the engine;

The main ob ect is to provide an engine of this type which iseasily andqulckly convertible from ahit-or-miss action to a positive or regularaction andvice versa, without removing any of the parts or inj any waychanging the structure of theengine. In other words, I have sought toprovide means actuated by the speed-regulating device, such asacentrifugally operated governor, for opening one of the valves, as'theexhaust valve, and holding itopen when the engine reaches or exceeds apredetermined speed limit, thereby establishing com munication betweenthe firing. chamber and atmosphere through the exhaust and preventingthe influx and compression of the explosive mixture until the speed ofthe engine has dropped belowsuch predetermined degree when the valveautomatically closes at the proper time to be regularly opened andclosed by suitable mechanism until the speed of the engine again exceedssuch limit, whereupon the opening of the valve is repeated, thusestablishing whatis commonly known as a hit-or-miss action.

A further object is to control the speed.

of. the engine by means of a throttlevalve in the connection between thecarbureter and inlet port and suitable connections between the valve anda centrifugally operated'm'ember on one of the revolving parts of theengine whereby the valve will be automatically and gradually closed asthe speed of the engine increases or the speed is reduced.

O ther objects and uses will be brought out in the followingdescription. I

In the drawings-Figure l is a vertical sem gradually opened as base androller bearings view of a portion of the ,idevices taken on line 88,Fig. 1. isan enlarged detail vertical sectional view upright cylinder -1secured at their a piston-'7- which is connected man- 8 to the crankarms -9- of the FigQL'the bore of The upper end of the *closed by asuitable head 'tional view ofmy improved engine case showating devices.

of a portion of the same governing device taken in the plane of line 99,Fig. 8. Fig. '10 1s a transverse. vertical sectional view of a portionof the samegoverning device taken n the plane of'line l010, Fig. 9. Fig.11 1s a topzplan of the detached carbureter and adjacent portion of thepipe leading to the fuel inlet port,showing a part of the means foroperating the throttlevalve in said pipe.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the left hand endof the rock shaft ating the throttle valve.

and lever shown in Fig. l for oper- As illustrated, this enginecomprises an mounted upon and secured to a su table crank case -2-,which,

in this instance, is composed of a hollow base section -3 and a topsection -at meetmg in approximately a horizontal plane of the axis of acrank shaft 5- and firmly junctions by suitable clamping bolts, therebypermitting the sections to be cast at separate units and allowing thecrank shaft with various parts carried thereby to be placed in operativeposition or removed by simply separating the sections at the line ofadvance.

The cylinder -1- is provided with a central cylindrical bore 6 forreceiving by a pitcrankshaft 5- as shown more clearly in r Y thecyllnder being in constant communicatlon at its lower end rwiththeinterior of the crank case through an opening 10 in the upperside thereof.

cylinder proper is llforming a 1m E FFKQJ I combustion chamber 12+ inconstant communication with the upper end of the "bore of the cylinderand, in this instance, is provided with a central screw plug '13- a andsimilar diametrically opposite plugs 14. to permit access to thecombustion cation between said ports and the firing parallel with thecrank cams ride.

chamber-being controlled by similar puppet valves 1S and -19. The innerend of the ports 1.6 and 17 preferably terminate in vertical sockets orchambers for receiving separate valve cages and '-21-,, the lower endsof which'are threaded and screwed into the bases'of: the sockets, theupper ends of the cages being provided with valve seats for the valves,-18and 19 respectively. The lowerends of the valve cages are providedwith annular grooves'for receiving metal packing rings 7 22 similar tothose commonly employed onpistons for preventing leakage of gases.

The valves 18 and -19- areprovided with pendant stems -25- and ,-26'

extending through glands in the bases of the respective valve cages 20-and 21 and through vertically alined glands in the adjacent sides of thecylinder and upper portion of the crank case so as tobe whollyconcealed, said valves being self-closing by retracting springs -27which are coiled around their respective stems in reduced portions ofthe sockets with their upper ends bearing agamst the upper sides of thecages ,20- and 21- and their lower-ends engaged with pins or shoulders28- on the valve stems.

Valoe-opemtmy means.'-A

sition in opposite sides of the crank case shaft 5 but in a plane somedistance below the same and is driven by said crank shaft through themedium of gears 30- so proportioned as to drive the cam shaft at halfthe-speed of the crank shaft, said cam shaft being provided with a pairof cams 31 and 82- rigid thereon for opening their respective valves 18and -19 atthe proper time through the medium of separate rock arms 38+and 34c carrying rollers 35' and 36 against which the correspondingThese rock arms 33 and 3f extend transversely of and in a plane justabove thecrankshaft Within the crank tubular cam shaft 28 is j ournaledin'a horizontal pocase and are fulcrumed for independent movement upon apivotal stud or spindle 7 in close proximity to the inner sides of saidcrank case so as to rock vertically.

The rollers -35 and 36- are mounted directly upon branch arms -39 and'i0 which are pivoted to their respective rock arms 33 and 3land areadjustable relatively thereto by means of adjusting screws ing the arms33 and -34- in proper relation to their respective cams 3l and 32- toimpart the desired movement to the valves 18 and 19-. v 1

The branch arms 39 and 4i0- are yieldingly held against the adjustingscrews t1- by springs and 4:t, the

object of which is to permit the adjustment referred to and at the sametime to hold the rollers in their adjusted relation to the cams.

The lower ends of the valve and -2(3 extend into the crank case invertical alinement with their respective rock arms +33?- and 3 l andtheir lower ends are threaded and engaged by internally threadedsleeves-%l and I5 which in turn engage or rest upon the upper faces of thecorresponding rock arms '33 and 3%-, this adjustment serving toestablish and maintain proper relation between the in their adjustedpositions by am nuts i6' and 47- shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The operating mechanisms for the valves are adjusted andrtimed to openand close them at regular intervals relatively to the movements of thepiston, which latter is shown in Fig; 1 at the limitof its inward &1.and 4:2- for plac- 1 stems -25 respective cams and also between saidrock 7 arms and valve stems to produce the desired action of the valves,said sleeves bemg held stroke just about to begin its outward movementfor taking in a charge of the explosive mixture at which time the cam 31will be in the position shown in Fig. 5 as just about to open the fuelvinlet valve and to holdit open duringthe outward stroke of the piston,thusdrawing in a charge of the explosive mixture into the firing chamber'12, the exhaust valve having just been closed and remaining closedduring this outward stroke of the piston and also during the returninward stroke when the charge is compressed, it being understood thatthe 'cam 3l willhave allowed the fuel inlet valve to close as soon asthe piston reaches the limit of its outward stroke after taking in suchcharge. 1

As soon asthe piston'reaches the limit of its return or compressionstroke, the compressed charge is ignited, thereby driving the pistonoutwardly during which time,

,thefuel inlet valve remains closed, but as soon as the piston reachesthe limit of its fir ng stroke, the exhaust valve will be lac opened soas to permit the expulsion of the spent gases through the exhaust portwhen the piston returns inwardly on the fourth stroke or at the end ofthe second cycle, whereupon the exhaust valve will be again inclosed andtogether with the inlet and piston will be in the position shown in Fig.l. o, l

Fuel supply. heforce feed means for supplying liquid fuel to thecarbureter forms the subject-matter of my pending applica tion, SerialNo. 830,610,'filed Apr. 95 v1914.

The fuel inlet p0rt-1 6'- is connected by a pipe 16- to a carbureter -e8in which a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel, as gasolene, ismaintained through a supply pipe -4:9- and overflow pipe 50, the supplypipe l9 being connected to a pump 5l which in turn is connected by abranch pipe -52 to a fuel reservoir -53- in the base of the crank caseas shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4:.

The fuel is drawn from the reservoir and forced through the supply pipel9 into the carbureter by means of a reciprocating piston 54 havingsuitable coiuiections with an eccentric -55 on the adjacent end of thecam shaft -2S' the eccentric being ad usted and timed so as to cause onecycle otmovement of the piston while the fuel inlet valve 18- is closed.

The pump case 5lis provided with check valves 56- and 57, the checkvalve -56 serving to'admit fuel from the reservoir 53* to the pump onthe upstroke of the piston 54- and to check the return of the fuel fromthe pump to the reservoir on the downstroke of said piston while thecheck valve -57+ controls communication between the pump cylinder andsupply pipe --l9 for admitting fuel from the pump into the supply pipeon the downstroke of the piston and preventing the back flow of the fuelfrom the supply pipe to the ump cylinder as shown more clearly in 13 ig. l. a a

fly aromatic speed governing mechcmz'sm. vl ithin the pipe +16 leadingfrom the carburetor to the inlet port 16 is a throttle valve -C 9- shownby dotted lines in Fig. 1 for controlling the amount of fuel admitted tothe firing chamber, said throttle valve being provided with an eX-ternal crank arm r60 which is connected by a link 61 to the upper end ofa lever or rock arm 62, the latter having its lower end secured by a setscrews 63 to the corresponding end of a rock shaft -'64l. which isjournaled in suitable hearings in opposite sides of the upper portion ofthe crank case parallel with and in a plane some distance above thecrankshaft 5.

The opposite end of the rock shaft -64 at the outside ofits bearing inthe adjacent crank case is angular (as square) in cross section and uponthis angular portion is the spokes of a balance Wheel 71' on theadjacent end of the crank shaft 5-.

The free end ofthe speed governingmeia bei- -69- is connected by aspring 72 to an anchor bolt 73 which is adj ustably the spokes,preferably diametrically opposite the pivot the spring 72-serving topermit outward:centrifugal throw of the weighted member -69 to engageand together with the lever -62 and throttle valve 59 to their normalpositions for opening the throttle valve although this return maybeeffected through the medium of a retracting spring if desired.

The stop pin 75- is secured to one of the spokes of the balance wheel 71in the path of movement of the speed governing member 69- forlimitingthe'out ward throw thereof against the action of' the retractingspring -72-. a The governing mechanism of the engine under regularintermittent firing at the end of each alternate inward stroke of thepiston, but it will be evident from subsequent description that aportion of the Sill'llB lllGCllZHllSlll maybe utilized for establishinga hit-or-miss action of the engine. r

The collars-65 is provided with a radially and laterally extending arm76 carrying one end of a bolt 7 7 having its other end passed through arelatively stationary bracket 78 which is spaced some distance apartfrom the arm 76 to permit the'interposition of a coil spring 79'surrounding the adjacent portion of the bolt 77 and normally tensionedto retract the; arm 66+ of the speed-governing device and also servingto return the rock shaft 64, lever 62 and throttle valve 59 connectedthereto to their normal positions. I

The bracket 78 is adjustable about the aXis of the rock shaft 64 and forthis purpose is provided with a slotted arm thus far 1 describedserves-to maintain a uniform speed secured to a stud -7lon another oneof i 78 for receiving aclamping bolt 80 r by whichthe bracket may beheld in its ad justed position; This adjustment of the bracket78 enablesthe speed-governing arm :66+ to be adjusted toward and from the contactface of the centrifugally op erated member 69' for effecting a partialclosing ofithe throttle valve earlier or later in the throw of thegoverning member. 69' accordingto the maximum speed at the end of therock shaft 64rcarrying the speed-governing arm 66 is journaled in asleeve S1- which in turn is 'journaled in a bearing in the adjacent sideof the crank caseand upon which the bracket 78' is preferably mounted.The'outer end of this sleeve is provided with an annular shoulder orflange 82 between which and the adjacent side of the crank case isinterposed the bracket '78-, the

opposite end of said sleeve being provided with a crank arm or pawl -S3keyed .thereon so as to be rotated with the sleeve,

the oneend of saidsleeve being threaded for receiving a lock nut -84 tohold the sleeve against outward endwise movement and atthe same timeserving to hold the pawl -83 in operative position.

A collar S5H, which is secured to the rock shaft at the inner end of thesleeve, serves, together with the collar --(35, to hold the rock shaftagainst axial movement.

The crank arm or pawl -'83- extends downwardly througha slot -8G in theadjacent lever 01' rock arm 34- which serves to operate the exhaustvalve 19- in the manner previously described, said pawl having its lowerend provided with a hook S7 for cooperative engagement .with the flange8S on the freeendof the rock arm 3% just at the outer end of .the slot-86, said pawl being provided with a spring -89 riding against theadjacent end of the slot for forcing the pawl out of interlockingengagement with said flange SS when released.

When the engine is to be operated by v regular firing impulses, the pawl-83 is rocked by hand inwardly against the inner end of the slot -86with its hook -S7 a corresponding distance away from the flange -88' orin the position shown by dotted lines inv Fig. 4: so as to revent anypossibility of engagement at thelaoolr ST with said flange, thusallowing the valveoperating arm -34 to oscillate regularly under theaction of the cain 32 and at the-same timie permitting said pawl to berocked by the action of the arm '66- of the governing device whenengaged by the centrifugally operated member +69 forclosing the throttlevalve when the, engine reaches a predetermined speed limit; This handadjustment of the, pawl 83 is pro duced by rocking the sleeve 81-bymeans of a handle 89,fthe sleeve being held in its adjusted positionby a set screw 90- in the bracket 78-. Y Y

When it is desired to convert the engine from a regular automatictype toa hit-or- -miss type, it is simply necessary to loosen the set screw 90*and then to rock the sleeve -,81 by means of its hand piece 9 until thefree end of the pawl 83 is brought closely to the outer end of the slot-86 where it may engage the flange 88 in a. manner hereinafter describedfor holding the rock arm -3 iin its eleva'ted position and therebyholding the exhaust valve open when thespeed of the engine exceeds apredetermined limit after which the set screw.- 90-v is retightened andthe clamping bolt-80 loosened to allow oscillation of the bracket .7S bythe head of the governing arm .-66--.

For example, assuming now that the bracket 78 is free to oscillate andis clamped to the sleeve 81, then the engine will be driven regularlyuntil it reaches a predetermined speed at which time, the weightedmember 69-- will be operated centrifugally against and rock the arm 66,thus imparting a similar rocking movement to the sleeve 61 through themedium of the offset -76 and its spring connection, during whichoperation the arm -33- for operating the exhaust valve will be raisedand loweredby its cam 32- and when its free end is raised above thehookshaped extremity S7 of the pawl '-83, the hook will be forced underthe flange -SS by the pressure of the centrifugally operated member69-magainst the rock arm -66- and as long as the speed of the engine issuflicient to keep the pawl -83- in position to hold the free end of thearm "34- in its uppermost position, the ex- 'haust valve will be heldopen, thus permitting the engine to breathe freely through the exhaustto the atmosphere.

By holding the exhaust valve open in the manner just described, thesuction in the firing chamber produced by the outward stroke of thepiston is insufficient to draw in a fresh charge of the explosivemixture and it also follows that the compression in'said chamber by theinstroke of the piston is reduced to a minimum, thereby preventing thecompression of any slight alnount'or" mixtime which. may be drawn intosaid chamber,"

all of which tends to reduce the speed of the engine until. it is belowapredetermined degree necessary to operate the governing arm 06 at which.time the spring #89 will have forced the pawl -83- from hold:

mg engagement with the flange 88 and allow the arm 3al-wto larly by itscam I The action above described is repeated as often as the speed ofthe engineexcceds the predetermined limit referred to or rather as oftenas the arm 66 is rockedfrom its normal position by the centrifugalaction of the weighted member I Ignit0m-Any suitable means may beemployed for igniting and timing the igni-' tion of the explosivemixture in the firing chamber, but for convenience-of illustration,

be oscillated regu- I have shown CZLII1'Sl1i1flli28- as pro vided with acommutator :-93 consistmg of a fiber collar secured to the shaft. andcarrying a conductor segment -91 in electrical connection with the frameof the engine atits bearings, said frame being alsov It is evident ofcourse that an suitable v form of spark coil may be used in connectionwith the ignition circuit if 'desired.

The batteries -D are preferablymounted in a suitable chamber -99 formingan integral part of the crankcase.

Lubricating system.The force feed lubrieating system heretoforedescribed forms the subject-matter of my pending application, Serial No.830,610, filed Apr. 9, 191 1.

The base of the crank case is also provided with an oil-containingchamber A which is separated from the underlying gasolene chamber by ahorizontal partition (tand within this oil-containing chamber and uponthe partition ,a is mounted an oil pump -'-B- having a pair of revolublepump gears Z) meshing with each other, one of which is driven from thecam shaft 28 by suitable gears -cas shown more clearly in Figs. 1,6 and7.

The pump -B is provided With an ini let pipe -cZ- and with outlet portse and the outlet port -e communicating with an annular space -g 1n theupper portion of the pump case through which the cam shaft 28 passes,said shaft being provided with one or more radial openings -/t'communicating with the all-- nular space g-- sotha-t any 011 Which 1Sforced through the outlet port e enters the hollow shaft --28 which isprovided with radial outlet ports arranged to distribute oil to the camshaft bearings in the sides ofthe crank case and also to the contactingsurfaces between the cams and rollers for operating the arms 33 and.

+34 one of the ports being ar ranged to distribute a portion of theoilto thewrist pin ofjthe crankshaft 5. I

It is evident from the foregoing description that under, this force feedof the pump B the oil may be driven not only to the several bearingsspecified but also to the bearings for the crank shaft in the sides ofthe crank case because the entire oiling system is confined within saidcase.

' The branch outlet port is connected having a return flow passagejleading back into the interior of the oil reservoir, said tube beingmade of glass or equivalent transparent material and supported within acase 7aso that the attendant may observe at a glance whether or not theoil is feeding through the pump and to the several bearings leading fromthe tubular cam shaft- By providing the base of the crank case withnoncommunicating compartments for the liquid fuel lubricating oil andignition devices, as set forth in my pending application, Serial Number880,610 filed Apr; 9,

191 51 am able to furnish a self-contained equipment having therein allof the appurtenances necessary for the operation of the engine and atthe same time I am enabled to inclose more delicate mechanisms, such forexample as the valve-operating device, oil pump and controlling pawl bywhich the engine may be changed from a regular auto matic action to ahit-or-miss action and vice versa without displacing any of the parts.

Another feature of advantage is that the head of the cylinder is cappedby a watercooling chamber 100forming an integral part of the engine caseand communicating with chambers 101- which extend downwardly along thesides of the cylinder for protecting said cylinder and valves againstexcessive heat, the water reservoir l00 being provided with a removablehead -l02 which is held in place by bolts 103 and is provided with aremovable cap -l0-l for filling purposes.

The crank case including the oil reservoir -A and also the batterychamber 99 are provided with hand holes normally covered by plates 105secured to the adjacent sides of the crank case to form hermeticallysealed joints and at the same time permitting access to thecorresponding res- 7 ing a cylinder, a piston,

a cam shaft actuated by fuel inlet valve and 'ex-' ervoirs whennecessary.

The gasolene reservoir -53 is provided with a filling inlet passage l07normally closed by a screw cap l08 WVhat I claim is: g V U 1. v In aninternal combustion engine hava crank shaft actuated by the piston, thecrank shaft, a haust valve both actuated by the cam shaft,

a throttle valve, a ,centrifugally operated member and means actuatedthereby for op erating the throttle valve to govern the speed of theengine, and means cooperating with the actuating means for the exhaustvalve and actuated by the speed governing mechanism for holding theexhaust valve open when the speed of the engine exceeds a certain limit.

2. In combination with a crank shaft of an internal combustionenginehaving a fuel inlet port and an exhaust "port, separate valvescontrolling such ports, a speed gov erning mechanism comprising athrottle valve controllingthe passage of fuel to the inlet port, acentrifugally operated member actuated by the crank shaft, and meansactuated by said member for operating the throttle valve.

3. In a four cycle internal combustion engine, a cylinder having aninlet port and an exhaust port, a piston, a crank shaft actuated by thepiston, self-closing valves for Copies of this patent may he obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

erated member actuated by the crank shaft,

a rock shaft having a crank arm engaged by the centrifugally operatedmember for rocking said shaft when the'speed of the engine reaches acertain limit, a lever on the rock shaft, and means for transmittingmotion from the lever to the throttle valve.

LIn an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an inlet port andan exhaust port, a'piston movable in the cylinder, selfclosing valvesfor said ports, a crank shaft actuated by the piston, a cam shaftactuated by the crank shaft,:separaterock arms actuated by thecrankshaft for opening said valves, a detent movable into and out of holdingengagement with which actuates the exhausti valve, a centrifugallyoperated member driven by the crank shaft, and means actuated by saidmemberfor forcing the detent into holding engagement with said rock armto hold the exhaust valve open when the speed of the engine reaches acertain limit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of April1914.

v V I ROBERTJ'. BALZ.

'Witnessesz i H. E. CHASE,'-

EVA E. GREENLEAF;

Washington, I); C.

the 7 rock arm

